Part Of Me
by Stitchpuppy01
Summary: I lose everything. Someone like me should never have anything. But not him. Not the chosen one. Because someone as strong and kind as him, as Sora, should have everything he wants. Every single thing…even her.
1. Reflection

*Disclaimer* I own no part of Kingdom Hearts or its conflicted self-searching characters

*Spoiler Notice* For those of you who haven't played KH2, this story may contain some spoilers

Reflection  
1

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What I saw in the face of that Riku replica…was not so different from what I saw in myself. I hate to admit it, but there was more likeness between the two of us than just our looks. If asked out loud, I would deny it, but anyone with adequate intelligence could pinpoint the blatant similarities between us two. What matter of irony was this, that after I'd finally gotten some sense knocked into me, a perfect replica of my past hideousness would appear before me, no longer of figment of my conscious, but a solid, scowling human being?

There aren't words that would describe the confusion, the horror, the…shame. I was ashamed of myself. And though I've evolved enough beyond myself to feel pity for the creature I killed, I won't deny that I felt a compelling urge to destroy, annihilate, erase it--him--from this world. Maybe I felt that, once and for all, I could rid the Universe of that part of me. The evil part. The stupid part. The blind and weak part.

The part that betrayed Sora, and dared to raise a sword against him. The part of me that kidnapped Kairi, and in the end, abandoned her, consumed by my own weakness of heart. But I never really kidnapped her. Someone like me, sullen, tarnished, and broken, could never take something so pure away from anywhere. How appropriate that at the beginning of it all, she--her heart--would take refuge in the place where it knew it would be the safest. And I can see now, without a doubt, that there was never a better place for it than right there with Sora.

If it was me, I don't think I would have given it back. Sora, of course, sacrificed himself in order to return the heart of the one he held most dear, and in the end, was rewarded with another life. Sora…such an unselfish creature. Unlike me. I would have captured her heart, put it in a cage with a lock and never let it out again. I would have taken away it's freedom in order to have it for myself where no one else could touch it--take it away from me.

Kairi's heart knew that. And so, it didn't choose me. The Keyblade didn't even choose me. Though it may have been intended for me from the start, I sided with the worst of evil and lost it.

I lose everything.

Someone like me should never have anything.

But not him. Not the chosen one.

Because someone as strong and kind as him, as Sora, should have everything he wants. Every single thing…even her.

The face I wear now is not mine, but it is fitting. I was afraid to look at my previous one, because I feared the hidden shame in the features behind it, but I don't fear this one at all. It is the face I have been wearing for a while now, even before my fight with the one they call Roxas, Sora's other half. I supposed that, being part of Sora, I should treat him more friendly, especially now that he does not know who he is, but a larger fraction of me doesn't see things that way.

In all honesty, if given permission, I would beat his face into the ground. My frustrations, the pent up anger, longed for physical contact with something, and what better something than the source of all my emotional deformities. Or at least part of it. I could never hurt the real Sora. But this…imitation Sora would have done well enough.

No. Imitation was not the right word. Other. That was a better term.

It was very painful, watching them together. Hayner, a little like me, always up for a challenge and over confident of my abilities. Ollette--so much like Kairi, always the voice of responsibility and kind beyond nature. Pence, the storyteller, and the Other. Roxas. So like Sora and so…unlike Sora.

When I saw flickering images of Sora's reawakening memories, as I was doing now, it created a whirlpool of mixed emotions. An abyss of heart-raking sadness, shame, and jealousy. Lots of jealousy. The images of him laughing and smiling--he always seemed to be doing that--and making friend after friend, growing and changing, and all the while becoming unconsciously stronger. I could never really understand how he was able to do it, evolve so far beyond me, but witnessing it now, observing the unraveling truths and the events behind his growth, I cannot fathom how I could have missed it.

"Kairi…" said Ansem, catching my attention. It was the real Ansem. Back arched comfortably against the shape of his leather chair with golden eyes wholly transfixed on the static memories before him, he rarely ever turned to look at me. Nothing else mattered to him other than the frequent affairs of heartless and nobodies. I'd agreed to help him--become his servant of sorts--because I knew he would be useful to me. But in order to achieve the effect I wanted, I had to become useful to him first, which was fine.

"Sora certainly does seem to have a unique connection with the princess of heart," he explained. "She's the only reoccurring element in his memories as far as I can tell. All motives seem revolve around her, more so than anything else."

I said nothing. The truth of his words were nothing new to me, but alas, that did not make it any easier to hear.

"The restoration of his memories are almost at 100%," he continued stoically. "And Roxas is becoming aware of it as well, even if he isn't fully conscious of it yet. He will return to Sora soon, whether he knows it or not."

A pitiable creature, Sora's Other. Spawned from the heart of another, half a person, and with absolutely no control over his own destiny. Forever submerged in the shadow of another. Truly a nobody.

A nobody that was able to defeat me.

And what sacrifices have I made to return the favor? Extreme indeed, but necessary for me.

Because I could not do it by my own power.

I can't do anything.

The only thing I can do is try to fix this. This mess. A mess that I helped create, and no matter the circumstances, it was the only thing retaining any meaning at all in my existence. Once, that reason may have been as Sora's companion, but what matter of companion am I now? I've lost that title and it would be nothing short of blasphemy to try and get it back, for I know I do not deserve it.

I reached in the hollow of my pocket and groped inside a pouch for a small, round shape. Locating it at last, I slipped it from my trench coat and gazed expressionlessly at it. The ball was small and blue and magnificently bright, even without the aid of the sun. Like three others, it was a fragment of a trophy Roxas had won in a competition in the fake Twilight Town. The trophy was only a replica of the real one in the actual Twilight Town, but that, amazingly, did not impair the quality of this tiny, sapphire marble.

No longer Roxas's, I supposed, but still in need of an owner. The tiny spectacle of a prize was too exquisite for me to possess. I seldom walked in the sunlight anymore anyway, so I wouldn't have the chance to demonstrate its full potential. I slipped it back into the pouch inside my pocket and decided I would give it to King Mickey. And he, no doubt, would give it to Sora when the time came.

A loud metallic bang gave me a dull startle. "Namine," Ansem's voice seethed.

"What's the problem now?" I asked blandly, already guessing.

Namine had been causing some trouble lately; divulging information to Roxas without thinking about the repercussions. I didn't know why she was extending Roxas such a favorable hand, but honestly, the only one who had a problem with it was Ansem. No matter what, Roxas would be joining Sora again soon, regardless of any knowledge he attained, and Namine would become obsolete according to Ansem.

"Namine has acted on her own again," he said coldly. "But no matter; this one is made of data and can easily be erased. Roxas is finally coming to know the truth, and the Nobodies--organization thirteen--are no longer an issue. He is now heading to this location. We must take our positions. I will be going to meet him soon--to welcome him properly. Riku, you know what to do."


	2. Plans

Plans

2

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Since the Other's fate had been abruptly sealed, the only thing left for me to do was dispose of Namine and Axel. Both have been extremely troublesome, and from this moment on would only become more intolerable. I myself did not have a problem a problem with Namine and would have preferred to leave her be, but for now I figured it would better to follow Ansem's orders.

If I thought it unnecessary and irrelevant, however, I wouldn't kill her, but as of right now she has yet to sway my opinions. I would also have liked to see Sora awaken for the first time in a year, but as Ansem made a point of saying, I had better things to do.

Namine had disappeared after Sora's reawakening, and so it was my duty to go and find her. It was more than likely she knew of my plans--though a nobody herself, she was anything but dense--and had fled to some unknown world. Such a hassle. And as for Axel, well…God only knows what he was up to. His recent actions had completely revolved around Roxas, as he had hoped to seize hold of their long-lost friendship, but now it seemed as if all his endeavors amounted to completely nothing. I only allowed myself to feel guilty over this because I too, had wanted to reconcile with Sora in the juvenile hopes of returning everything to normal, but I knew better. Axel didn't.

Twilight Town, although not my most favorite of places, had been far more tolerable than most worlds which Ansem has sent me to. Still, I did not wish to dwell here long if there was no reason for it.

Before taking my leave I found myself compelled to visit the train station. This was the real Twilight town, so the trains most definitely led somewhere, unlike Ansem's incomplete imitation Twilight Town, and I knew sooner of later King Mickey would be arriving from another world. Most likely his master's castle.

The train station was empty as usual, as today was not a day for beach dwelling, and so after satisfying my dull curiosity, took my leave without hesitation. I suppose I should have been surprised to see Heartless, or rather Nobodies, flaunting around, waiting for my approach, but I really wasn't. Organization had been aware of my conspicuous interferences with their plans for some time now, and have continued to send companies of their brainless minions in my wake in a pathetic attempt to stop me, or at the very least, stall my progress.

It was doing neither of those things.

Emotionlessly I called upon my weapon, my supposed 'Keyblade', and assumed fighting position. This wouldn't take long. Dusks were weak by nature, and only posed a threat when attacking in great numbers. There were only about seven here, so it should only take about seven seconds.

I sprang foreword, slicing and cutting through each white obscurity, taking extreme pleasure in the sound my blade made against the harsh skeletons of their bodies. Eradicating, exterminating, and obliterating. One by one, disappearing into the rightful dimension of their kind. Into absolute nothingness.

After the seventh second was up, the station's entrance was empty once more, as it should have been from the start.

I dismissed my weapon, allowing it to disappear into thin air to lay dormant until the time I once again required its assistance.

I only took one step foreword before realizing that maybe I shouldn't have dismissed it so easily. A large and heavy sword, blunt and grey, slammed down on the ground next to me, and I leapt backwards reflexively. When I lifted my head I saw a giant Nobody with tremendous white hands and a small head. It was completely absent of eyes, therefore I'm guessing emotion, but it was all to clear what its intentions were.

Once again I called upon my Keyblade and took battle stance. This would be far more difficult than eradicating a minuscule army of dusks. This particular Nobody I had only seen once before, and in a completely different world than this, so why was it here? No matter…I would send it back to it's everlasting purgatory soon enough.

As well as a few others.

It seemed as if there were more enemies that needed be dealt with than I anticipated. More and more dusks, closing in on all sides of me as if answering to the call of the large Nobody, and ready to thrust themselves forward.

Not good.

There was an alarming number of them now, encircling me, trapping me. Under such circumstances I would have retreated, but I knew full well that if I ran the Nobodies would turn their attention to the townsfolk. I am, by no means, a martyr or a protector, but I do have a sense of justice.

And I could not allow anyone to be hurt because of my cowardice.

There was no time to think, only react, so that's what I did. In large groups they began attacking me, and I in turn, attacked them. Powerful horizontal slashes seemed to be the most accurate method, as it was the only way to kill more than one at a time, but that was beginning to fail me.

I had to rely on adrenaline to keep me going, and it was working, but I was beginning to fatigue. I am, especially in contrast to these damned beings, only human. The large one rose it's blunt sword at me and prepared to strike.

I wasn't prepared.

Three dusks clasped around my arms, weighing me to the ground, and I tried to thrust them off. As I continued to thrust, I knew how little time I had to dodge, which was less than half a second.

I was about to have my skull cracked wide open.

As I prepared for the impact that would undoubtedly end my life, I saw a quick flash of something that looked like a glowing saw cut through the creature's arm, causing its hand and sword to drop to the ground in front of me. The dusks, although void of emotion, were unexpectedly surprised by this, and I took the opportunity to beat them off me. Ones by threes they went flying, and I took my Keyblade and ran it through the heart of the one-armed leader, wrenching the tip into it's bloodless chest.

It fell to the ground, evaporating into the colorless air.

I prepared to strike the remaining number of dusks that began to crowd in on me, but as I went to lift my arm I found that it hurt immensely when I tried to move it. That is, if I could move it. My shoulder was dislocated.

Such bad timing.

But the glowing saw returned, sweeping smoothly through the crowd, slicing through the necks of each of one, causing them too, to evaporate into thin air. Quickly and efficiently it rid the entire area of dusks until only one was left.

It launched itself at me recklessly, and I took my good arm and punched it mercilessly, sending it catapulting into the air. The glowing saw came spinning backwards and cut the Nobody directly in half, right in the air, and returned to the hand of it's master.

I lifted myself to my feet, gripping my dislocated shoulder, and glared at the intruder.

It was, much to my surprise, a mere girl. She had short black hair and striking velvet eyes. Her skin was incredibly fair, and her body was slim and curvy. She held the saw, which actually turned out to be an enormous cross, and rested it on her shoulder after the bluish glow had subsided.

She looked at me curiously, eyes wide and attentive. She then narrowed them and lowered her weapon at her side, giving it a single threatening spin in hand. "You," she said accusingly. "You're on of them, aren't you?"

It took me a moment to figure out what she was talking about, but then it hit me. In order to navigate the Universe more efficiently, Ansem had given me a cloak of which resembled exactly that of Organization Thirteen's attire. It probably didn't help that I had a hood over my face either, but I would not reveal myself to this stranger. Still, I could not rid myself of the nagging feeling that I'd seen her somewhere before.

"Answer me!" she commanded, pointing the cross in my direction. "What have you done with Sora?"

This caught my attention. I lifted my head up, but only slightly so she couldn't see my face.

So this girl knew Sora, did she?

"And what concern of that is yours?" I asked monotonously.

"Tell me what you've done with him," she demanded. "We know Organization Thirteen has taken him and I will not go easy on you if you refuse me information."

Her assumptions were wrong of course, but the fact that she even had enough information to pinpoint Organization Thirteen as the source of Sora's disappearance was enough to hold my curiosity. Who was this girl?

"Sora is fine," I said. "Don't involve yourself with him."

"I'm sorry, but I can't--" she stopped short, whirling around with haste. Another large Nobody, also equipped with a giant sword, appeared from behind her.

"Look out!" I shouted, but it was too late.

The Nobody took a forceful swing at the girl and slammed her side with it's heavy sword. She sailed into the side of the station, unconscious, and her weapon slid clear across the ground, disappearing.

No…

The Nobody, whom I assumed would turn it's attention to me, began making it's way toward the girl quickly. I had no time to think. I snatched my weapon off the ground with my left hand and starting sprinting toward the giant grey creature.

I sprang high into the air, bringing my Keyblade down with tremendous force, and shoved the point into the Nobody's head. It sunk in easily, as Nobodys had no inner schematics, causing the monster to fall onto the ground with a large boom.

It evaporated into the air directly upon impact along with it's accursed weapon.

I panted, gripping my shoulder, and limped over to the girl. She lay motionlessly against the wall, dark hair masking her eyes. I leaned down and brushed it aside, then turned her cheek gently toward me.

Yes, I had seen this girl before.

I sighed, dismissing my Keyblade, and took my good arm to sling her over my shoulder.

It seemed as if I would have to rearrange my plans a little.


End file.
